So we’re coming down to crunch time. After a heartbreaking loss this past week, I am desperately clinging to first place. There is only one other team that can catch me to take the regular season, but he’s one game behind me and he holds the tie-breaker between us.
I’m very satisfied with my team overall - we’ve been rolling over the competition fairly handily all season. I’m 10-2, my rival’s at 9-3. Nobody else in the league has more than 7 wins. But this week is a must win.
There are a few specific questions I would like to hear other opinions on. I think I know what I want to do, but outside opinions would be very welcome.
Defenses: Should I go with Seahawks (vs. Dallas) or Tampa Bay (vs. Atlanta). I think the Bucs D is stronger overall, but they’re playing a much stronger team. I consider this almost a wash, but I need those points this week.
Flex Player - start Donald Driver or Duce Staley? Driver is so-so numbers wise, but healthy. How many carries is Duce likely to see this week?
TE - Boo Williams or Ken Dilger? Strongly leaning toward Dilger here.
ST - Saints or Falcons? neither is spectacular…neither suck. Input from those who know more about those units would be much appreciated.
Kickers - Longwell or Elam? Both strong kickers, but which game is more likely to see the field goal unit more - GB @ PHI or DEN @ SD?
You’re thinking the same way I am, TS. What are your thoughts on the TE slot? This is around the time last year that Boo caught on fire, but Gruden has also made comments to the effect that Dilger would be getting a lot more touches as well.
It’s weird how half the league has really embraced the short passes to the TE recently - instead of dumping to the RB in the flat. I’m guessing it’s because of the success of Gonzalez and Todd Heap.
“1) Defenses: Should I go with Seahawks (vs. Dallas) or Tampa Bay (vs. Atlanta). I think the Bucs D is stronger overall, but they’re playing a much stronger team. I consider this almost a wash, but I need those points this week.”
Seattle D - Dallas is stinking it up pretty bad right now.
Flex Player - start Donald Driver or Duce Staley? Driver is so-so numbers wise, but healthy. How many carries is Duce likely to see this week?
If Duce is moderately healthy by Sunday, start him. I’m not keeping tabs on his exact status so I don’t know.
TE - Boo Williams or Ken Dilger? Strongly leaning toward Dilger here.
Who is N.O. playing? I’d start Williams unless they’re up against a tough defense, though really it’s a coin flip between these two mediocre TEs.
ST - Saints or Falcons? neither is spectacular…neither suck. Input from those who know more about those units would be much appreciated.
No idea, and unless a Saints or Falcons fan wanders in, you’ll have to research this yourself. www.nfl.com has a lot of stats.
Kickers - Longwell or Elam? Both strong kickers, but which game is more likely to see the field goal unit more - GB @ PHI or DEN @ SD?
FWIW, I’m playing Seattle’s Defense over Philly’s as Green Bay has a better offense than Dallas.
I have Walker as a WR and tentatively have Harrison and Bruce starting. But I’ll likely swap Bruce for Driver since Bruce is hurt. Personally, I’d start Driver over Staley.
For kickers, I’ve stuck with Longwell every week other than the bye and have had good numbers with him. This game has potential for more than a few FGs. Plus, of course, the PATs.
Well, so far I’ve decided definitely to go w/ Seattle D, and I’m liking Donald Driver over Duce Staley simply because of the fact that Cowher has a more than capable Goal Line back in Bettis - if Duce is still nursing the injury at all, Bettis is gonna see a lot more carries than just at the goal line. They’ve locked up a playoff berth, so why risk injury to your workhorse RB?
I’m also fairly convinced that it doesn’t matter which ST I go with - both are mediocre and neither one’s gonna rack up big points.
I’d still like to hear additional thoughts on the kicker situation and the TE situation.
Hey, Duffer - where are you located? For some reason I always picture you as living in either Stevens Point or in one of the little towns near Hayward.
Go Pack! (Except when they’re playing the Ravens!)
Flex Player: Staley will see action, but it will be between the twenties, so no 6’s for him. Cowher is no dummy. Bettis is on a roll, and why mess with it if it ain’t broken? Start Driver.
TE - Boo Williams or Ken Dilger? Dilger had 51 yards and a TD last time he saw TB. I agree with Dilger here.
ST - Saints or Falcons? Your league has Special teams?
Kickers - Longwell or Elam? Week in and week out picking a kicker is an inexact science. And if they are kickers of equal talent, it really becomes a coin toss. I’m going to go with weather on this one. Elam.
Ummm, and you are worried about those piddly players when you have #18, #21, #81, and #81!?!?
Yea, it’s pretty nice, actually - it adds a neat second dimension to the standard practice of playing a team defense, especially with kick returns. You rarely see high points, but you score standard TD points for runbacks, plus points for kick return yards, punt return yards, and fumble recoveries. Of course you lose points for fumbles, dropped fair catch, and such, but it’s cool if you have a team with somebody like Dante Hall.
I however, have two pretty damn mediocre teams - they’re only worth about 7-10 points a game.
Well, a loss this week puts me in a tie for first place, with the other team holding the tiebreaker on me (assuming they win, of course - but they’re playing a 2-10 team.) A win (and a loss for him) all but cements my victory in the league, and the pot for winning the regular season is pretty nice…
My only concern with Driver is that Favre likes to spread the ball around, not so much in a given week, he’ll stick with the hot reciever that week. But then the next week he will probably try to involve other players. Walker got 15 yard last week, so I expect Favre to look his way a lot.
In my league I may miss the playoffs by one game. I am in fifth and the guy in fourth beat me by 0.46 points. That is going to be a hard one to swallow.
